Michael Davis
Mushrooms are a fungus with a conspicuous umbrella-shaped fruiting body, typically of the order Agaricales. They are a popular ingredient in meals around the world, from Italian to Japanese cuisine, and are also known for their health benefits. With a wide variety of mushrooms, including shiitake, oyster, chanterelle, and portobello, it can be tricky to identify the different types. Poisoning by wild mushrooms is common, so accurate identification is crucial before consumption. The characteristics used for identification include the shape, colour, gills, and spores of the mushroom.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | The conspicuous umbrella-shaped fruiting body (sporophore) of certain fungi, typically of the order Agaricales in the phylum Basidiomycota but also of some other groups. |
| Common Types | White button, portobello, crimini, shiitake, oyster, enoki, chanterelle, king oyster, lobster mushroom, etc. |
| Morphology | Mushrooms have a stem (stipe), a cap (pileus), and gills (lamellae, sing. lamella) on the underside of the cap. |
| Gills | Mushrooms have free gills that do not extend to the top of the stalk, decurrent gills that extend down the stalk, and attached gills with finer distinctions like adnate, notched, and adnexed gills. |
| Spores | Mushrooms produce microscopic spores in their gills, which help the fungus spread. Agarics have white, greenish, pink, brown, or black spore prints. |
| Growth | Mushrooms develop from a primordium, enlarging into a "button" with a universal veil that may rupture and leave remnants like a ring (annulus) or volva at the base of the stalk. |
| Health Benefits | Mushrooms are low in sodium and high in ergothioneine, an amino acid and antioxidant. They may lower the risk of cancer and chronic diseases, improve gut health, and reduce cholesterol levels. |
| Poisoning | Wild mushroom poisoning is common and can be fatal or cause gastrointestinal issues or allergic reactions. Accurate identification is crucial before consumption. |
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What You'll Learn
Types of mushroom gills
Mushrooms have complex and varied anatomical structures, which play a crucial role in their identification. One of the most prominent structures is the gills, or lamellae, located beneath the cap of many mushroom species. Gills are thin, papery structures that hang vertically under the cap, and their primary function is to produce and disperse spores. The underside of a mushroom is often the only way to distinguish between edible and poisonous mushrooms.
There are several types of mushroom gills, primarily distinguished by their method of attachment to the stem or stipe. Some gills are broadly attached to the stem and are called adnate. Gills that extend down the stem are called decurrent, and are found in oyster mushrooms. Free gills are completely detached from the stem, as seen in portobellos or amanitas. Emarginate gills are notched just before reaching the stem, while sinuate gills curve slightly downward before attaching to the stem. Adnexed gills are a narrow subset of sinuate gills, attached at an angle usually between 45 and 90 degrees.
False gills, found in chanterelle and pig's ear mushrooms, are not true gills but rather ridges folded in a gill-like manner. They are called false gills because the structure of the fertile surface, or hymenium, continues uninterrupted over the gill edge, so they are little more than folds or wrinkles. False gills cannot be easily plucked from the mushroom cap, unlike true gills.
The colour of gills is also important in identifying mushrooms. Spore prints, made by placing the mushroom cap gill-side down on paper, can be white, cream, pink, brown, black, or yellow. The colour of the gills and spores can change with the age of the fungus and weather conditions. For instance, the colours of the mushrooms in the Russula genus fade in the rain.
Other distinctive characteristics of gills include their patterns, such as wavy or straight gills, and forking or branching patterns. The texture of gills can also be important, as in the Lactarius species that typically seep latex from their gills.
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Mushrooms without stalks
While it is possible to eat the stems of most mushrooms, some mushrooms have very small caps, meaning that the stem makes up most of the mushroom. One example of this is the Lion's Mane mushroom, which has no stalk.
The stems of some other mushrooms, like shiitake, are woody and fibrous, making them tough to chew and not much fun to eat. However, they can be removed and saved to make a tasty broth or stock. Similarly, the stems of cremini mushrooms can be woody, so it is recommended to trim off the ends before cooking. Enoki, maitake, and oyster mushrooms also require a simple trim to ensure their unique flavours shine through.
On the other hand, the stems of white button, crimini, portabella, oyster, and king oyster mushrooms are entirely edible and bursting with savoury goodness. The king oyster's stem is considered the best part of the mushroom. These tasty stems add texture and depth to your dishes, allowing you to enjoy the whole mushroom.
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Mushrooms with stalks
Mushrooms come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, colours, and flavours. While modern identification methods are becoming increasingly molecular, standard identification techniques are still used by most, including amateur and professional mycologists. These techniques have developed into a fine art, combining methods from medieval times and the Victorian era with microscopic examination.
The stalk is an important feature to examine when identifying wild mushrooms. Some key characteristics to note are:
- Shape and size: Is it long, thin, or fatter at the bottom?
- Colour and bruising: If you pierce the stem, does the colour change?
- Whether the inside is hollow.
- Any remnants of a partial veil (annulus) or universal veil (volva).
- Texture (brittle, soft, hairy, or scaly).
- Whether the stipe has rhizomorphs (roots extending underground).
For example, the stalk of Russell's Bolete is jagged or "scaber-stalked". This is not a veil—the stem peels like string cheese, sometimes seen in older, mature mushrooms. Another example is the mushroom in the Melanoleuca genus, which has fibrous stems that lack both a ring and a volva.
It is important to note that identifying mushrooms can be challenging, and there is a significant chance, especially for beginners, of misidentification. Many mushroom species are poisonous and can be fatal if consumed. Common mushroom hunting advice is that if a mushroom cannot be positively identified, it should be considered poisonous and not eaten.
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Mushroom shapes
Mushrooms come in a variety of shapes, and their cap shapes are one of the most noticeable features used for identification. The shape of the cap can provide clues about the species of the mushroom. Caps can be convex, bowl-shaped, cushion-shaped, egg-shaped, hemispherical, half-egg-shaped, bullet-shaped, cone-shaped, umbonate (pointy conical apex), witch-hat-shaped, bell-shaped, saucer-shaped, funnel-shaped, and more. Some mushrooms, like the chanterelle, have a depression in the centre of their cap, while others, like the black trumpet, are wavy and cone-shaped.
Beyond the cap, the overall shape of a mushroom can vary greatly. Some mushrooms are fan-shaped or oyster-shaped, like the oyster mushroom, which can span nearly 12 inches. Others are trumpet-shaped, like the chanterelle, or umbrella-shaped, like the shiitake mushroom. The lobster mushroom is an atypically shaped mushroom, deformed by the parasitic fungus Hypomyces lactifluorum, giving it a shape and colour that resembles a boiled lobster.
The shape of a mushroom is not static and can change as the fruiting body matures. Additionally, the shape of a mushroom's hymenium, the fertile spore-bearing tissue layer, can vary. The hymenium can take the form of gills, pores, or teeth. The shape of the hymenium is important for mushroom identification, as is the shape of the spores themselves.
While the shape of a mushroom can provide clues about its species, it is not always a consistent identifier. Mushroom appearances can change during growth and decomposition, and environmental factors can also influence their shape. Modern identification methods are becoming increasingly molecular, but traditional identification techniques, such as examining spore prints, are still used and have developed into a fine art.
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Health benefits of mushrooms
Mushrooms are a fungus that can be used to add flavour to meals without adding many calories, fats, or sodium. They are also a source of many health benefits and have been used as medicines for 5000 years or more.
Mushrooms are a source of vitamin D, which assists with calcium absorption to maintain and build strong bones. They are the only type of produce that contains vitamin D, and their vitamin D content can be increased by exposing them to UV light or sunlight. White button, portabella, and cremini mushrooms provide the most vitamin D after exposure to UV light or sunlight. Maitake mushrooms are also a good source of vitamin D, providing the recommended daily amount in just over one cup.
Mushrooms are also a source of vitamin B6, which helps the body form red blood cells, proteins, and DNA. Shiitake mushrooms are a good source of vitamin B6. They also contain selenium, an antioxidant that helps protect body cells from damage and prevents cell damage that might lead to heart disease. Cremini, portabella, and baby bella mushrooms are good sources of selenium.
In addition, mushrooms are a source of ergothioneine, an amino acid that helps prevent or slow cellular damage and may lower the risk of cancer. A review of 17 cancer studies found that eating just 18 grams of mushrooms (equal to about two medium mushrooms) a day may lower the risk of cancer by up to 45%.
Mushrooms are also rich in fiber and contain polysaccharides, which are linked to improved insulin resistance and GI health. They also contain polyphenols, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and various minerals, including copper, which is important for healthy red blood cells, bones, and nerves.
Some exotic mushroom varieties, such as Cordyceps, Turkey Tail, and Lion's Mane, may have extra brain-boosting benefits due to their higher bioactive nutrient content. Studies suggest that eating two cups of mushrooms each week can cut the risk of developing cognitive impairment in half and may help protect against neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.
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Frequently asked questions
Some common types of mushrooms include shiitake, oyster, enoki, portobello, and chanterelle.
Mushrooms are a powerful source of ergothioneine, an amino acid and antioxidant that prevents or slows cellular damage. They are also naturally low in sodium and can help lower cholesterol levels.
Mushrooms are a type of fungus that typically have a stem (stipe), a cap (pileus), and gills (lamellae) on the underside of the cap. The gills produce microscopic spores, which help the fungus spread. Mushrooms come in a variety of colours, shapes, and sizes, and can be identified by characteristics such as their spore print colour, the presence of a ring or volva, and the type of gill attachment.
